Syrian delegates irked by regime logos refuse to join Sochi summit

A Syrian peace conference in Russia got off to a rocky start on Tuesday after some delegates opposed to Syrian regime leader Bashar al Assad refused to leave the airport on arrival, saying they were offended by the presence of the Syrian regime flag and emblem.

The delegation refused to participate in the summit and has asked Turkey to represent it. 

Ankara will speak on behalf of the opposition parties that have left the congress, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said. "The opposition said 'Turkey will represent us,' and gave the mandate to Turkey."

Talks on new constitution

Russia, a staunch Assad ally, is hosting what it has called a Syrian Congress of National Dialogue in the Black Sea resort of Sochi that it hopes will launch negotiations on drafting a new constitution for Syria after almost seven years of war.

The conference, which was originally billed as a two-day event got underway as a one-day event on Tuesday. 

One group of delegates who had flown in from Turkey and were opposed to Assad refused to leave Sochi airport until Syrian regime flags and emblems were removed.

Conditional participation

Earlier, Ahmad al Burri, who has taken part in Syrian peace talks in Kazakhstan, said, "We will go back to Turkey." 

"Whatever happens we will not enter Sochi. We informed them (the Russians) of our conditions that they should remove all the logos and flags representing the Syrian government."

Mohammed Adnan, a journalist and member of the Syrian opposition based in Turkey, said there were about 70 people in the group at the airport and that they were waiting for a plane to take them back to Ankara.

Russian officials have complained of attempts to sabotage the conference, but the Kremlin said on Monday it was unfazed by a Syrian opposition decision to boycott the event.

Boycotts mar event

The event has been boycotted by the leadership of the Syrian opposition, while powers such as the United States, Britain and France are not there because of what they say is the Syrian regime's refusal to properly engage.

The Syrian Negotiation Commission (SNC) and representatives from YPG-controlled regions are boycotting the Sochi congress.

However members of both the groups will come to the talks as individuals, the Kremlin's special envoy on the Syria peace process, Alexander Lavrentiev said.